High Shelves and Sleep Deprivation
by kate882
Summary: Akashi's first meeting with Kuroko was less than ideal. He'd been on Murasakibara's shoulders, trying to reach a book, and nearly fell over when Kuroko cleared his throat to get their attention.


Akashi's first meeting with Kuroko was less than ideal.

The book that Akashi needed was on the top shelf in the school library, and these shelves were forged in Hell by Satan himself. Even Murasakibara couldn't reach the top shelves. Which was why Akashi was perched on Murasakibara's shoulders, reaching for the econ book he needed when he heard someone clear their throats and nearly fell off of Murasakibara's shoulders when he noticed the blue eyed boy looking at them with the faintest traces of amusement. No surprise though. Apparently this wasn't a very odd sight to see on finals week.

"Kuro-chin, why are the shelves so high?" Murasakibara asked the boy, whose name tag read 'Kuroko Tetsuya'.

"I'm not sure. I only work in the library, I didn't design it, Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko replied.

If Akashi had been someone else, and in a position to look at Murasakibara's face instead of just down at the top of his head, he might have glared at Murasakibara for not informing him of such a cute boy's existence since the two apparently knew each other.

"You should have. All of the shelves would have been shorter. And you'd have milkshakes in the café." Murasakibara said.

"That's true. Do you and your friend need help?" Kuroko asked, looking up at Akashi with the same amused expression.

Akashi stiffened when Kuroko's gaze turned to him. This was not a position he really wanted to be seen in by anyone, certainly not someone he may have tried to flirt with under different circumstances. "I think we have it handled, thank you though." Akashi said with his most dignified tone and expression.

Which only caused the blue haired boy to let out a light laugh, so it was apparently a wasted effort. "Well, please do be careful. I'd hate to see you fall when we do have ladders that you could have asked to use."

"I'm perfectly capable of retrieving a book without a ladder." Akashi said indignantly, reaching forward and grabbing the book to prove his point.

"Yes, of course, you just need Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko wasn't even trying to hide his amusement anymore.

"Atsushi, please let me down now." Akashi muttered, looking away from the librarian.

Murasakibara obliged, kneeling down so that Akashi could do his best to climb down from his shoulders without looking like an idiot.

"Akashi Seijuurou." He introduced himself to the, still smiling, librarian, holding his hand out to shake.

"Kuroko Tetsuya." The other replied, shaking the offered hand.

"If you are interested, I would like to try and make a better impression than this. Would you care to join me for coffee when you're shift here is done?" Akashi asked, not letting go of Kuroko's hand.

"It's finals week, Akashi-kun. Do you have time for coffee dates if you're studying hard enough to need to climb on people to reach books?"

"If I don't have coffee soon I'm probably going to end up passed out over this book anyway, so you would actually be helping my grades by joining me." Akashi flashed his most charming smile.

"His grades are perfect, Kuro-chin. Don't let him make you feel like you have to go to save them." Murasakibara chimed in. The traitor.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be the reason they dropped from being perfect." Kuroko said, the amusement returning to his voice. "So, I'd be happy to accompany you. You'll have to wait an hour though."

"Perfect, I'll use that time for some more studying."

Sure enough, an hour later Kuroko found Akashi sitting at a table in the library with his face resting on an open book, fast asleep. "He really does need a coffee break." Kuroko muttered to himself before attempting to shake Akashi awake.

Akashi murmured something that sounded like: "Five more minutes." Kuroko laughed, but decided to give him that. After all, when he actually did get Akashi to wake up the embarrassed look on his face at being caught sleeping in the library made it well worth the five minute wait. Well, maybe it had been ten minutes, but Kuroko had figured the red head could use the sleep.


End file.
